Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
Wednesday at Canterbury, we’ve got a Kiwi-bred gelding who’s a half-brother to a dual Group winner, plus a Snitzel filly for Yulong who’s a half-sister to the two-time Group 1 winner Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}). At Geelong, a 4-year-old gelding will debut as a three-quarter brother to the G1 TJ Smith S. winner and a sire son of Redoute's Choice in Master Of Design.
Canterbury, Race 1, 12.50pm AEST, Quayclean H., $55,000, 1580m
Gamesmanship (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Tavistock {NZ} x Adriatico {NZ} {Stravinsky {USA}})
This Kiwi-bred gelding is a half-brother to Robusto (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), a winner of the G2 Avondale Gold Cup and G3 Metropolitan Trophy in New Zealand. He’s also a half-brother to Bobby Dee (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), who was Group 2 placed. Further along, this is the family of the very good mare Aminata (Ire) (Glenstal {USA}), whose two Group winners included the joint Champion 3-Year-Old Sprinter in Ireland, Swift Gulliver (Ire) (Gulch {USA}).
Gamesmanship (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Gamesmanship (NZ) was part of the Hallmark Stud draft at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where he was bought by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for NZ$250,000.
Trained at Rosehill by Chris Waller, the gelding was fourth in a maiden trial as recently as July 29, and in this race he has jockey Nash Rawiller from barrier two.
Canterbury, Race 2, 1.25pm AEST, Furphy Plate, $55,000, 1100m
Beautiful Heart, 3-year-old filly (Snitzel x Harlech {GB} {Pivotal {GB}})
This chestnut filly is a Snitzel half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Hungry Heart, who was also smart enough to win the G2 Sweet Embrace S. and G2 Phar Lap S., and run second in the G1 Flight S., G2 Tea Rose S. and G2 Furious S. The dam in this pedigree is the Pivotal (GB) mare Harlech (GB), herself a half-sister to the English Group 3 winner Maamora (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Yulong presented this filly as part of its draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was passed in with a reserve of $650,000. She was retained by Yulong to race.
Beautiful Heart as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Trained at Rosehill by Chris Waller, Beautiful Heart has had three trials this preparation in which she’s been second twice and fourth. She has drawn the inside marble for this debut (barrier one) and she will carry Tommy Berry.
Geelong, Race 2, 1pm AEST, Elephant and Castle Hotel Mdn, $37,500, 1118m
Windshadow, 4-year-old gelding (Redoute’s Choice x Traceability {Charge Forward})
This newly turned 4-year-old is from the Charge Forward mare Traceability and, as such, is a half-brother to the South African Listed winner Traces (Snitzel). His full brother, Spring Loaded, was also second in the G3 Canonbury S. This is a very strong family with Windshadow, in fact, a three-quarter brother to the G1 TJ Smith S. winner Master Of Design. The second dam on this page, Urge To Merge (Last Tycoon {Ire}), is a full sister to the dam of Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Windshadow was consigned by Arrowfield Stud to the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was sold to a consortium of Aquis Farm, Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) and Ozzie Kheir. He will debut in the colours of Kheir.
Windshadow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is trained at Cranbourne by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. He’s had two jump-outs so far, the latest of which resulted in a win on July 25. In this race he will have jockey Mark Zahra from barrier 11.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday went fairly well. At Moruya, Artieos (Flying Artie) was a winner while at Tamworth, Keroessa (All Too Hard) was third and Prepotent (More Than Ready {USA}) was unplaced.
